"For me it's hurtful," Mendes said of gay rumors. "I get mad when people assume things about me because I imagine the people who don't have the support system I have and how that must affect them.

"That was why I was so angry, and you can see I still get riled up because I don't think people understand that when you come at me about something that's stupid you hurt so many other people," he told The Guardian. "They might not be speaking but they're listening."

The Rolling Stone interview wasn't the first time Mendes addressed his sexuality. Back in 2017, he posted an emotional video on Snapchat, saying, "First of all, I'm not gay. Second of all, it shouldn't make a difference if I was or wasn't."